1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device employed in the manufacturing of precision glass pieces and, more particularly, to a novel template apparatus providing a useful means of creating replicas of previously manufactured windshields for precision fitting into automotive windshield frames.
2. The Background Art
Typically, a windshield is a necessary and required element for safely operating an automobile. Windshields are designed for the express purpose of keeping the elements of weather and the distractions of noise from disturbing automobile occupants. Windshields also provide protection for the automobile driver from flying debris and other harmful objects.
Unfortunately, damage to a windshield can occur in a variety of ways. For example, windshields can become damaged as a result of the elements of nature, such as hail or sleet. Frequently, windshields become chipped and cracked by rocks and debris thrown from the wheels of other vehicles. An automobile accident is another prevailing cause of damage to windshields. In some cases, a serious automobile accident can result in completely shattering the windshield. In any event, when a windshield becomes chipped, cracked or shattered, a replacement windshield may be inserted into the automobile frame to replace the original windshield and insure the continued safety of the automobile occupants.
When replacing a damaged windshield, the replacement windshield should be manufactured with precision and accuracy for a proper fitting within the specifically defined area of the windshield frame of the automobile. Traditionally, the automotive windshield replacement process may be conducted by simply making a copy or mold of an existing production windshield. The tooling and dies needed to design and create the replacement windshield are generally derived from the existing production windshield. However, this procedure has many disadvantages and drawbacks.
Typically, the methods of the prior art for manufacturing a mold for a replacement windshield involve the manufacturer renting or borrowing from an automobile dealership the particular make and model of the automobile needing the replacement windshield. The production windshield from the dealer automobile is removed from the car, packaged and sent to a glass manufacturing plant. While at the glass manufacturing plant, a master splash, a mold gauge, a glass gauge, and an oven mold template is created in hopes of generating a mold for the replacement windshield which is an exact duplicate of the production windshield. The generated mold for the production windshield may then be used to manufacture a new replacement windshield.
After the mold of the windshield is created, the production windshield may then be returned and reinstalled in the dealer car. Accordingly, these methods offered by the prior art when manufacturing a new replacement windshield from a production windshield generally requires an investment of approximately eight weeks turn-around time to complete. This extension of tooling time to manufacture a replacement windshield results in a significant disadvantage to the automobile owner if the vehicle is needed sooner.
Another disadvantage of the prior art methods for generating replacement windshields described above is evidenced by the fact that a majority of production windshields used as manufacturing "samples" comprise initial defects that frustrate a precision fitting of the windshield into the windshield groove of the replacement automobile. Whereby, these latent defects become incorporated into the final mold used to create the replacement windshield. Duplication of the production windshield's defects results in substandard windshields customarily being created by these traditional prior art processes.
In an effort to remove these latent imperfections, those skilled in the art attempt extensive retooling and remeasurements of the mold. However, to initiate such a process becomes expensive and time-consuming, while rarely producing successful replacements.
As illustrated by the number of prior patents and other disclosures, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to remedy these disadvantages. One alternative prior art method used by windshield manufactures in hopes of creating a better original mold, involves the use of two different production windshields from two different automobiles. For example, the left side of one windshield and the right side of another windshield may be merged with the intent of creating a more perfect mold for the replacement windshield. However, these methods still transfer the latent defects of each of the original production windshields into the mold. Likewise, the merging of the two windshields often results in an increase of additional time and tooling costs. Thus, the merging of separate windshields has been found to be unsuccessful and inefficient when manufacturing replacement windshields.
From the foregoing, these customary practices offered by the prior art often results in producing a replacement windshield that does not fit the windshield groove of the automobile properly or securely. When this happens, often times the only alternative is to discard the replacement windshield. In addition to the problems of an inaccurate fit, a wide variety of cars must continually be leased or rented from car dealerships to procure the specific "sample" production windshield of the specific make or model of the vehicle. Consequently, these additional cost to manufacture a replacement windshield may ultimately raise its market price to the point that a replacement windshield becomes a very expensive solution to the windshield consumer.
Considering all these factors, the methods offered by the prior art have proven to involve a significant investment of time and manufacturing expenses, while creating substandard replacement windshields that are unable to accommodate safe and precision fittings within the automobile windshield frames, incurring further waste in the industry.